With their 12 points to four victory over the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night, the Sydney Roosters have booked their place in the 2018 NRL grand final.
This game was set up as a blockbuster from the outset. The final rugby league game ever at the Sydney Football Stadium. A rivalry almost as old as rugby league itself. And plenty of trash talk between the teams in the lead-up, particularly around one of the Bunnies’ key enforcers, Sam Burgess.
Plenty of big names were thrown around as being potential game changers – Luke Keary, Cooper Cronk, James Tedesco, Damien Cook and Greg Inglis. And all of these men played their part.
So too did some unsung heroes, like Mitch Aubusson, who made his presence known in key moments, particularly in defence. Likewise Roosters stand-in centre Paul Momirovski, who scored the Roosters’ third and match-winning try. Paul was told he was getting the call up to the starting line-up only that day after coach and captain had spent time deliberating about his inclusion during the week.
But there’s one man whose role in the victory I wanted to particularly highlight, and that’s Roosters coach Trent Robinson.
When teams are performing poorly, so much blame is levelled at the coaches and their staff. Interestingly, when a team is performing well, often the role of the coach is quickly forgotten.
(AAP Image/Paul Miller)
The Roosters had tickets on them from the start of the year. With some key signings made last year, including Cronk and Tedesco, the play was clear – the tri-colours wanted a premiership.
But the start of the season left many disappointed. By Round 6 the Roosters were sitting on a 50 per cent win ratio with losses to teams many predicted would finish at the bottom of the ladder, like the Wests Tigers. In Round 8, the team slumped to a heavy loss to the St George Illawarra Dragons. They bounced back by just two points against the Manly Sea Eagles the following week.
Their attack looked clunky. The combination between James Tedesco and Cooper Cronk hadn’t clicked yet, and the team’s attack was also being stifled by an insistence on playing structured and ordered footy. Several players were under fire, but none more so than Roosters hooker Jake Friend.
Looking back now, it should have come as no surprise to us that the new combinations struggled in the early rounds. Many of us forget that last year was an exceptionally long season because of the Rugby League World Cup, with some players returning to preseason only in mid-January. It’s hard to form a combination in key positions in less than two months, so perhaps the Roosters deserve some leniency for taking some time to settle into their season.
But the structured footy was harder to cop and painful to watch.
(Ashley Feder/Getty Images)
It was after the loss to the Dragons that we started to see the Roosters change their approach to attack. Robinson apparently took the team away after that game and decided they needed something fresh. The Roosters lost the structure and started playing more free-flowing football. The results started to come.
This takes courage on the part of a coach. We see so many coaches in the NRL stick to one approach and refuse to change things up until it’s too late.
One example that immediately comes to mind from this year is Paul Green at the North Queensland Cowboys. Despite the Cowboys offering very little in attack for most of the season, Green refused to blood any young players until their season was well and truly gone. Many of these youngsters will be the players that the Cowboys look to build around in the coming seasons, and I wonder why they weren’t brought in much sooner.
I also wonder what impact State of Origin had on the Roosters squad.
So often we talk about Origin as a drain and a period which can really have an impact on where a team finishes on the ladder – particularly those teams that have plenty of rep players. It certainly had an impact on the Dragons this year. I wonder whether Paul McGregor regrets taking the players advice and not resting them after Origin.
But for the Roosters, Origin seems to have really boosted some of their players, particularly Latrell Mitchell and Tedesco.
Many questioned whether Mitchell was ready for Origin – he was guilty of form slumps, defensive lapses and not being willing to put in the hard yards when his team needed him most.
Origin seems to have transformed him, and he finished the year as one of the copmpetition’s in-form players. His addition to the Roosters squad next week will be a welcome one.
(Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Let’s talk about next week.
The grand final qualifiers on the weekend were games full of drama featuring one of the oldest clubs and one of the newest rugby league rivalries in existence. But the lead-up to this fgand final has drama of its own.
The big questions are: will Billy Slater play after his shoulder charge on Cronulla Sharks winger Sosaia Feki? His appeal to the judiciary this week will be one of the most closely watched appearances of the year.
What about Cooper Cronk, the man the Roosters brought over to win them a premiership? Despite a heavy knock in the game on Saturday night courtesy of an Adam Reynolds tackle, Cronk gallantly played on, with his left arm hanging limply by his side. The severity of the injury is still unknown, but I daresay Cronk will be given every opportunity to prove his fitness for this match.
The of course there’s increasing speculation about Cameron Smith and whether the game on Sunday will be his last in the NRL.
It wouldn’t be grand final week without some drama, and as always, rugby league has delivered.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Tell me one thing different Seibold did against the Roosters than he did any other game.. oh wait he used 16 players instead of 15 by giving Britt 13 minutes and Tatola 6 minutes. He didn't adjust. Robinson did. Of course the Roosters were fresher but it was three tries to zip. Souths had 3 times as many tackles in the opp 20, came up with three fewer tries and one fewer forced drop outs. Because nothing they did surprised the Roosters and Robinson made the right changes before and during the game to his defensive line.
Dirk Diggler
Roar Rookie
Rob the players let go by the Roosters bar Ferguson were either washed up (see SKD/Guerra) or were never going to play 1st grade (watson). Robinson now has Cronk, Teddie & Chricton. He's be able to recruit the best available talent and has one GF win. He would have won the spoon in 2016 bar Newcastle. I think he's underachieved but Nick gets what nick wants......let's see how it pans out Sunday
JN
Roar Rookie
im hoping that that was a sarcastic reply
stevesyd
Roar Rookie
What are the links to these reports?
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I think the main issue with the Roasters roster management which is hard to fathom. despite all the reasoning, is that out of all the clubs they appear to be able to attract and fund the cream of the crop so much better than any other club. When Manly used to do it a few decades ago there was no great mystery attached to it. Ken Arthurson would wave a huge wad of notes under the nose of a player he wanted and typically he would strolling down the Corso soon after. The Storm have lost Slater and Cronk, and Smith will be gone soon so what's going on with Munster?
Joe
Roar Rookie
I think you're making Dirks point. They signed Maloney, Jennings and SBW the year they won the comp. Those were three players at the top of their games when signed. They then lose Maloney and sign Keary. Lose RTS and sign Gordon, lose Gordon and sign Tedesco. Cronk who next to JT is the best half to play the game in recent times comes on the market and gets signed for two years after which they're looking at Munster who is probably the best up and coming half apart from Cleary. Not to mention Crighton and Ferguson. Sure they have some great youngsters coming through like Latrell, Manu but they're definitely buying the best available on the market. Looking at Robinsons record since he started he has had success equivalent to Bellamy (better if he wins this weekend) yet isn't talked about in the same league. I think that's because people understand that his recruitment is way better than the Bellamys.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
There are reports that Nick Politis is close to signing a free agent halfback on second tier money to fill in for Cronk this weekend... Some Johnathon Thriston or something..? I missed his second name.. :)
Rob
Guest
Dirk the roosters have lost players if they sign munster he would get cronks money whos retiring next year.Remember the roosters also lost James Maloney 3 yrs ago and only just replaced him last year with Keary and they also lost Rts 3 yrs ago and replaced him with Michael Gordon then with teddy this year.Also Michael Jennings left 3 yrs ago and also Skd to Newcastle and they used 2 kids coming through their system to replace them in Joseph Manu and Mitchell and they also let Guerra and Conor Watson and Mitchell Pearce go to Newcastle amongst others they have let plenty go so they need to replace them it's not like they are keeping everyone and buying more players.Blake fergerson also going to Parra next year.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Yeah Nat it will be interesting... If Mitchell comes in a little does it limit the chance to get one-on one with an opponent? But the other options at 5/8 are runners which means Mitchell won't see as much early ball... That said Tedesco is showing more and more skill in the passing plays, so maybe they slide him into 5/8 positions for certain plays?
Nat
Roar Guru
Interesting point about the #6 BA. It would be a great story for Mitchell to fill that role aka Inglis. IMO, it's not a bad option and that young rookie let no one down in D. The old rule about getting the ball to Mitchell early, imagine him taking it off/1 off the ruck with time and space.
Dirk Diggler
Roar Rookie
Robinson has the best squad money can buy period. He's coached the Roosters two 2 GF in what 6 years? Fallen flat 3 times before at the final hurdle and now have paid allegedly almost $1M a season for Chichton next year. And now they are apparently interested in Munster. How do they get all these players under the cap?? I'd love to see the Storm run up a number of them
stevesyd
Roar Rookie
Didnt outcoach him at all. Souths played their GF against Storm and it took 70 mins for a fresh roosters to seal the game against an obviously fatigued team which became obvious after 15 mins. Despite this souths had the roosters struggling several times but lacked the energy to go on with it. The same reason storm are in the GF after dealing with a battered sharks. The week off has become monumental to a team's advantage.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Made comment else where that Robinson totally outcoached Seibold on Saturday. Souths were so predictable and incapable of changing their game plan at all. Pretty sure the Bronocs (if we are to believe the rumours) will be putting their cheque book away for now when it comes to Seibold. The Roosters go on and now Robinson has his next big coaching decision - who does he prepare alongside Keary incase Cronk can't go? Cornish has played first grade before, but he is very average, O'Sullivan is brutaly over hyped and finished the season poorly in NSW Cup (and he may already be on his way to Brisbane). Does Keary go to halfback and then who comes in to play at 6? They have used Matterson has a running 6 before. Could Latrell move in to play five eight, but then are you weakening the centres? Victor Radley has ball playing experience in the lower grades and is sharp off the mark - Maybe he slots in?
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The Roosters have been unbeatable at times this year because of their defence. I made a point about Mitchell Pearce a long time ago when it was said that signing Cronk was a waste of time because they needed more forwards not a halfback. I thought if they were able to keep Pearce they should have because they would have an amazing advantage over other teams if the lost someone in the halves to injury. A fully fit Mitchell Pearce will be a spectator in the 2018 GF.